Gaza-Egypt: Civil society calls on the Security Council for an investigation into Israeli attacks

Eleven Egyptian human rights organizations condemned this week the Israeli attacks against the civil population of Gaza and against Egyptian military personnel in the last days, and demanded that the U.N. Security Council conduct "a fair investigation" with the aim to "bring those responsible to trial". One of the signatory groups is the Egyptian Association for Community Participation Enhancement, focal point of Social Watch.

Also Robert Serry, the UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, has voiced deep concern over the deaths of Egyptian security personnel during the incident that occurred near the country’s border with Israel last week and stressed the need to restore calm.

Serry travelled to Cairo this week and met the Foreign Affairs Minister Mohamed Amr and General Murad Muwafi, the Chief of Intelligence, telling them that he remained worried about continuing tensions, in particular the escalation of violence in Gaza and southern Israel.

The declaration of the human rights organizations reads as follows:

Egyptian rights organizations which signed this statement (this Monday) have denounced the continuation of the Israeli brutal aggression on the Gaza Strip, and their crime against the Egyptian military officers a few days ago, in addition to the escalation of the pace of raids by the Zionist occupation army on Palestinian territorries, killing 18 civilians and injuring at least dozens during the last few days, which is a natural result of Israel’s impunity for its past crimes.

Israel has justified its attack on the Egyptian soldiers, that they were pursuing the gunmen who carried out the attack on the port of Eilat, which resulted in losses of lives.Therefore, the Egyptian authorities must work on the liquidation of armed terrorism in Sinai, which resulted in the fall of a number of police and military personnel.

The Egyptian rights prganizations have stated that “the lack of accountability for the successive international crimes of the Zionist entity against unarmed civilians in the Gaza Strip, and disgracefull of the international community which encouraged Israel violate all international agreements and brutally murder civilians of Palestinian children and women, knowing it will escape from punishment. “

Furthermore, the Egyptian rights organizations are holding Israel and whoever is supporting it fully responsible for these ongoing attacks by the army of the occupation, on the Egyptian soldiers and innocent Palestinian civilians in the midst of a clear disgracefull silence from the part of some Western governments.

The Egyptian rights organizations demanded the U.N. Security Council to launch a fair investigation in these brutal attacks and bring the responsible to trial, and to implement the international mechanisms and procedures for the protection of civilians in Gaza, as there’s several claims that the United Nations became a tool used by powerful states in the attack on the smaller States .

Signatures:

Human Rights Organizations who signed this statement:

The Egyptian Association for Community Participation Enhancement

The United Group

The Egyptian Foundation for the Advancement of the conditions of childhood